Kerwagen Fabian, Bauser Maximilian, Baur Magdalena, Kraus Fabian, Morbach Caroline, Pryss Rüdiger, Rak Kristen, Frantz Stefan, Weber Michael, Hoxha Julia, Störk Stefan
Department of Clinical Research and Epidemiology, Comprehensive Heart Failure Center, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany.
Department of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany.
Front Digit Health. 2025 May 2;7:1548600. doi: 10.3389/fdgth.2025.1548600. eCollection 2025.
Acute heart failure (AHF) is a life-threatening condition and a common cause of hospitalization. The defining clinical feature of AHF is volume overload, leading to pulmonary and peripheral edema and consequently to weight gain. Vocal biomarkers have the potential to facilitate the early detection of worsening HF and the prevention of AHF episodes by offering a non-invasive, low-barrier monitoring tool. The AHF-Voice study is a prospective monocentric cohort study designed to investigate the trajectories of voice alterations during and after episodes of AHF, identify potential vocal biomarkers, and enhance the understanding of the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying these voice changes. It will examine the characteristics and determinants of vocal biomarkers, analyzing their correlations with patients' clinical status and comparing them to alternative clinical parameters in HF. Further, it aims to determine whether specific vocal biomarkers can accurately map different HF phenotypes and assess their association with patient trajectories The study phenotypes patients hospitalized for AHF at admission and discharge, and follows them for a period of 6 months. During hospitalization, daily voice recordings are collected using a specially-designed smartphone app. Following discharge, patients are requested to continue daily voice recordings with their own smartphone for the subsequent six months the 6-month follow-up. Patient-reported outcome measures and body composition are assessed in the hospital and at follow-up visits. Sub-studies explore vocal fold oscillation through video-laryngostroboscopy and assess the feasibility of combining voice analysis with in-ear sensor technology for comprehensive digital phenotyping. A total of 131 patients were enrolled between April 2023 and November 2024: their mean age was 75 years (SD 10), 31% were women, 86% were in NYHA functional class III or IV, and 38% presented with heart failure. Additionally, 59% of participants owned smartphones. The AHF-Voice study will provide insights into the potential of vocal biomarkers as reliable indicators of congestion, paving the way for innovative and accessible tools to support heart failure management.
急性心力衰竭(AHF)是一种危及生命的疾病,也是住院的常见原因。AHF的典型临床特征是容量超负荷,导致肺水肿和外周水肿,进而导致体重增加。声音生物标志物有可能通过提供一种非侵入性、低门槛的监测工具,促进心力衰竭恶化的早期检测和AHF发作的预防。AHF-声音研究是一项前瞻性单中心队列研究,旨在调查AHF发作期间及之后声音变化的轨迹,识别潜在的声音生物标志物,并加深对这些声音变化背后病理生理机制的理解。它将检查声音生物标志物的特征和决定因素,分析它们与患者临床状态的相关性,并将其与心力衰竭的其他临床参数进行比较。此外,它旨在确定特定的声音生物标志物是否能够准确描绘不同的心力衰竭表型,并评估它们与患者病程的关联。该研究对入院和出院时因AHF住院的患者进行表型分析,并对他们进行为期6个月的随访。在住院期间,使用专门设计的智能手机应用程序收集每日声音记录。出院后,要求患者在接下来的六个月(6个月随访期)使用自己的智能手机继续进行每日声音记录。在医院和随访时评估患者报告的结局指标和身体组成。子研究通过视频喉镜频闪检查探索声带振荡,并评估将声音分析与耳内传感器技术相结合用于综合数字表型分析的可行性。2023年4月至2024年11月期间共招募了131名患者:他们的平均年龄为75岁(标准差10),31%为女性,86%处于纽约心脏协会(NYHA)功能分级III级或IV级,38%患有心力衰竭。此外,59%的参与者拥有智能手机。AHF-声音研究将深入了解声音生物标志物作为充血可靠指标的潜力,为支持心力衰竭管理的创新且易于使用的工具铺平道路。